more feeding tube and brain questions

Dani816

hi everyone,

well, we're still at the NICU (I think this is day 17). Mia is doing very well, but she still cannot maintain bottle feedings most of the time. Yesterday she did two full bottles by herself, but then she was back to doing about half and then needing the tube. (she seems to just tire out). this would be fine if she was a preemie, but her due date is rapidly approaching (4 more days). an MRI showed no obvious brain damage, but apparently her brain is "immature" (lacking all the "bumps" they would expect to see at this stage). otherwise, she is perfectly healthy, alert and fine.

i know Mia needs to take her time and go at her own pace. (they say she "acts" like a preemie) i'm just concerned that maybe there is some undiagnosed issue or something more we could be doing.

does anyone who has experience with IUGR or feeding issues have any tips or insights? what helped your little ones get going with the bottle?

 

twobytwo2010

We did have the brain part but the feeding part I can relate to. I don't know what it is but just one day they all of a sudden get the whole feeding thing and want to take all their bottles. Our main problem with feeding was they would fall back to sleep before they could finish, so we would rub their back during the feeding to try to keep them up.  When was she born how many weeks? Mine were 33weekers.

618mom22boys

I dont have an advice Dani but I am sorry that she is till in the NICU.  I hope everything works out!

 

FisMom

DD was still falling asleep at the bottle when we brought her home. Now a little more than a week past her due date we wish she's fall asleep

Dani, I'm sorry Mia is still in the NICU. Is it possible that your due date was off by a couple of weeks? Maybe she isn't as close to being full term as you originally thought and that is why she is still having issues?

I hope everything resolves itself soon.  

Dani816

thanks, ladies!

i think the issue is her size. it's rare for full term babies to be this small (3 pounds, 11 ounces at birth), so the Drs. don't have a population to compare her with. she is much smaller and went through more stress than a typical full term baby. at the same time, she avoided all of the breathing, temperature and heart rate issues seen with preemies. therefore, the drs have no clue if she just needs time (more like a younger baby) or if there is some actual illness or damage. only time will tell. i just want to get that darn tube out and get her home! 

 

adelepickle

Ask if it's possible to remove the NG tube while she is feeding from the bottle and put it back in when/if she can't finish the bottle. This totally helped my DS. I wish the doctors would have listened to me sooner...I had a nice nurse who said that the tube "accidentally" came out....once DS didn't have the tube in and was able to drink from the bottle without it, he did great!